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Tsyklon-3
39m
Human (1.8m)
1.8m
Tsyklon-3 / Credits: Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons)
UkraineRetired1977–2009
Tsyklon-3
Yuzhnoye / Yuzhmash
Soviet-era workhorse built in Ukraine — launched Cosmos military satellites and science missions with exceptional reliability.
Tsyklon-3 was developed by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau in Dnipro, Ukraine. It was derived from the R-36 ICBM and used storable hypergolic propellants (N2O4/UDMH). The rocket achieved an exceptional 94% success rate over 122 flights, primarily launching Soviet military Cosmos satellites, Meteor weather satellites, and AUOS scientific satellites.
Fun facts
Built in Ukraine — one of the most capable rockets of the Soviet era.
Flew 122 times over 32 years with a 94% success rate.
Uses the same propellant combination (N2O4/UDMH) as many modern upper stages.
Height
39 m
Diameter
3 m
Mass
190 t
Stages
3
Thrust
2,745 kN
Payload LEO
4,100 kg
Payload GTO
—
Total flights
122
Success rate94.7%
114 success3 partial5 failure
No upcoming launches scheduled.
